Saturday, June 28, 2014

euro-whirl 2014: salzburg / the white church

as we walked into the collegiate church, we expected the interior was going to look the same as most of the other churches & cathedrals we've had the opportunity to visit (all beautiful, don't get me wrong. i never tire of seeing the inside of these grand old places)...but no. i mean, we were just immediately struck with the stark, glowing beauty of this particular church. technically, ben reminds me, it's called the kollegiankirche - but i prefer the white church...which is, SO original, i know.

i loved the all-white. normally, you know, churches have the bright stained glass, the gilded sunbursts, vivid tableaus, the shimmering, passionate scenes...but my minimalist heart sang at the white church. it was pared down & largely monochromatic, but so, so regal & beautiful at the same time, without being "simple" at all.

i guess the inside used to be brilliant decorated & colorful like any other, but they had been doing some serious renovations on the kirche & just finished it all in 2013. the all-white almost looked unfinished, like they still were going to paint it all back, but no - a worker told us it's all finished. this is how it's going to look now! i love it!

i love the gold accents here & there. that is perfection. the all-white also emphasizes the floor tiles, & it gives the rows of dark wood chairs an equally purposeful minimalist look. so great.

*heart singing*

the church was also displaying works by susan swartz in an exhibition titled a personal path. i fawned over all this as well. other than a museum, where better to display contemporary artists' works than in a church?! the quiet, reverent atmosphere is so perfect, so conducive to enjoying art. it sounds so simple! i've seen it done before, but it really needs to be done more often. her colorful pieces stood out even more beautifully against all the brilliant white.

you can read more about susan swartz & her exhibit, which "[marks] an renewed era of recognition of the enduring artistic nature of the human spirit," in an exceptionally beautiful article HERE. i would completely recommend reading it.

i want to go back. looking at all these pictures makes me want to go back, for just a little bit longer. come with us next time! :)